Taxi Driver Online

New nationwide private-hire app run by local firms to launch in Oxford to tackle Uber threat

A NEW locally-run private-hire app that can be used around the country will be launched in Oxford in September to combat the threat of Uber.

The Riide app – operated in Oxford by 001 Private-hires – has been set up by private hire firms to fight off national apps.

001 Private-hires will have the rights to Oxfordshire and have encouraged firms in Witney, Bicester, Banbury and other towns in the county to get on board.

The firm's director Mark Green was one of the original four directors of the app and the network has now spread to thirteen operators and a fleet of 9,000 cars.

Mr Green said: "It's non-profitable but we hope it will fend off competition from national apps that seem to be popping up.

"In each city it will be run by local firms with licensed drivers who know the area.

"It's important to us that our customers in Oxford don't lose that."

The app's general manager Lee Clayton said the group were fearful of "corporate" vultures and decided to build their own nationwide app.

The one app would work in cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Oxford, London, Dublin and Belfast.

Each city has its own local firm covering the area – with 001 Private-hires servicing Oxford.

Once passengers enter a new city the app will continue to work and vehicles from that city's relevant private hire firm will then respond to bookings.

Last week Uber's application to come to Oxford was declared void leaving doubts over whether the controversial company would end up operating in the city.

Mr Green welcomed the delay but said the Riide app was well-equipped against all-comers.

He said: "It's good news for us but there's nothing their app does that the Riide app won't be able to.

"There's a sharing payment scheme, you get rewards on your account and the biggest thing is it will use licensed companies and existing licensed drivers who know the area.

"We also don't do surging payments, where journeys at a particular time cost more."

The firm invited private hire firms from towns across the county to get in touch.

Those companies could buy into the scheme and respond to any bookings in a certain area of the county, such as Abingdon or Banbury.

The Riide app – expected to go live in September – also enables passengers to select the exact vehicle they would like to transport them around.

source: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/146418 ... er_threat/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

so in effect this App is setting up a National PH firm which if it is established would provide far better coverage than Uber,halo or Lyft etc. be interesting to see what the cost is though compared to minicabbit

The day of the National taxi service may be coming soon if enough take it up

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

A firm in B&H looked at this, but decided against it.

Not sure why, but the idea behind it makes sense.

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IDFIMH

possibly because they're on a hiding to nothing?

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The way I look at it is that it's akin to all the Auriga or Autocab firms working together in different areas.

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IDFIMH

Email received from Riide
"in that case you would simply purchase the white label app, which would then give you your own skinned app which you own and own the data attached to it unlike the main app operators out there and of course the likes of karhoo and Uber etc. you also get the choice who you link with in the case of local competition etc

we are also going out to the vehicle manufacturers and securing amazing deals on vehicles as we now have the buying power to dictate prices rather than being dictated too as is the norm! As we sit here today and with the members we currently have signed up we are approx 10'000 cars strong which speaks volumes and puts us in a great position when bargaining for insurance, tyres fuel cards etc on a national as well as local level.

ultimately our aim is to retain our/your own work and fight off the Ubers of the world and get rid of the trend of buying our own work back.

the cost of the app is £7500 up front payment then a weekly payment depending on fleet size for continued support, updates and new feature releases. the web booker has a fee of £25 per per site the weekly fleet charges work in the following way 0-100 £50, 101 - 250 £100, 251 - 500 £150, 501 - 1000 £200, 1000+ negotiable (all prices excl VAT)

as mentioned earlier there are limited opportunities to become a share holder! which means you get everything listed above but become a profit sharing member of Riide. the cost for this is different to the WL app"